Maria Roussakis

About me

I was born/grew up in: I was born in Winchester, ON and grew up in Cornwall, ON.

I now live in: Mississauga, ON

I completed my training/education at: I completed my Bachelor of Health Science in Medical Laboratory Science at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, ON.

What I do at work

I work within the chemistry, hematology, and transfusion medicine laboratories. I perform a variety of chemical, immunological, and microscopy skills in the performance of laboratory tests. I work with a lot of automated equipment. This equipment performs chemistry and hematology tests on the samples. I also work with microscopes to observe abnormalities in blood, urine, and body fluids. I work collaboratively with other laboratory professionals at my work. I also have to communicate effectively with nurses and doctors about patients' laboratory tests. I make various decisions in my line of work, such as in the analysis and interpretation of patient's laboratory results. My education in medical laboratory science as well as the policies and procedures in place help me make decisions related to difficulties in testing.

My career path is

I discovered this career path just at the beginning of the twelfth grade. At that time, I learned about the accredited university program that I pursued. I completed a bachelor's degree in Medical Laboratory Science and within my final year I completed a clinical practicum at a hospital. I decided to go into this career due to a love of the health sciences, as well as wanting a career that helps others.

I am motivated by

What excites me and is the most interesting about my work is the troubleshooting and problem-solving I perform. Whenever I encounter a difficult patient case or if a piece of equipment is malfunctioning, I have to use my analytical skills to help solve the problem. This career is right for me because I approach problems with an analytical mindset. I also enjoy learning and seeing how the human body works microscopically, and how that affects health and disease.

How I affect peoples’ lives

My career is very fulfilling because I know that the work that I do in the laboratory will help doctors diagnose their patients and help treat their diseases. My career matters because mostly all hospitals have laboratories, and the professionals that work in these laboratories have to be knowledgeable and competent to help provide quality patient care.

Outside of work I

Outside of work, I volunteer with the Canadian Society of Medical Laboratory Science on their Exam Panel, helping create exam questions for the national certification exam. I also volunteer on the ethics committee at my work and work on my master’s degree part-time.

My advice to others

If you are interested in a career in medical laboratory science, complete relevant biology, chemistry, and math courses, as well as apply to an accredited program in Canada. These include several college diploma, as well as a few degree programs.